Archive for January 4th, 2011

I thought I’d start out this post with booker and sampson because…. well because they are just so handsome, especially when garnished with some snowflakes! and with this being the “off” season I have been able to spend a lot more time with both them and the hubs which makes me very happy and exceptionally peaceful. with a new year I always feel the need for lists, although I am not a big one for resolutions per se. I have been asked at least 15 times “what are your goals for 2011?” the truth is, is that I don’t think of my life or my business in terms of concrete time frames beyond today, the here and now. if I have an idea or a goal, I just try to accomplish it each day. now with weddings, sessions, etc there are certain time guarantees that I give my clients – but for big, potentially life changing goals? I just attempt to get closer to them today than I did yesterday. but then there’s the list – the one I always make. because to be honest, january is a perfect time to sit back and reflect on the previous year and figure out what was good, what was bad and what was just okay. in addition, there are always amazing events that happen that weren’t planned at all – which I must confess are my favorites! for me, the struggle lies in figuring it all out and culling down to what really matters in my big picture. for example – last year during the snowstorms, I made a list and put it on here on the blog for the whole world to see. for that reason, I thought it only fair to revisit that list and see what I focused on and accomplished and what fell by the wayside. if it fell, does it need to picked back up and concentrated on or did it get ignored for a reason? so without further adieu……..

1: get published again: done - in what’s up weddings and coastal style

20: hire an intern: done and completed - now we have 2-3 amazing new people joining the team for the 2011 season!

21: do date night at least once a week: have done very well with this and actually have 2 small getaways planned in the next month. time with roland refocuses me and is more important and appreciated than ever

22: shoot more dog sessions: done – and loving it!

23: style and shoot an editorial wedding layout:in the works for march – stay tuned!!

24: go para-sailing: nope

25: go to colorado: NOPE – damnit!

26: go on a honeymoon: YES!! finally after 5 and a half years of being married! a time of huge beautiful opportunities as well as devastating family losses – basically real life issues kept it from happening. but our passports are current, tickets are booked and we leave at the end of february!!

27: go away for a weekend every season:done - at first I didn’t think we did, but looking back we actually did – yay us!

28: hold a small workshop: nope – but I plan on teaching a photo workshop for kids right here in my town. but apart from that, I think that there are too many people attempting to profit on workshops without the knowledge to back it up. even though I know I could hold a pretty good and informative workshop, I don’t think that’s a club I want to be a part of. not following that herd. I’d rather mentor photographers with real passion and talent on an individual basis.

29: say no once in awhile:still suck at this SO BAD!!!

30: hangout with my girlfriends more: much better with this – I have lunch dates with my girls at least once every other week and “phone dates” with long distance friends all of the time

31: go out on a double date: done – many times this past year

32: lose 25 pounds: oh sweetbabyjesus – isn’t this on every woman’s list? the numbers vary but the self-loathing is the same. needless to say, the answer is no. in fact I’ve gained 9 pounds the past 3 weeks – ugh. but in this case, the end justifies the means – I have quit smoking. you’ll notice that quit smoking wasn’t on this list. why you ask? possibly because it’s been on every list for years and I always fail (or I should say never try) or maybe it’s because I didn’t want you, my clients and readers to know that I even did it in the first place. it’s nasty and I’ve known that for years, but I’ve been hopelessly addicted (no other word for it) and thought I would never stop. the reasons I did are long and may be posted in a separate post later. but let’s just day this… I’m happy about it – I’m not as crazy as I thought I would be – and I am snacking like there’s no tomorrow. I gave myself a month of guilt free snacking to make the transition easier. so for now, as I experience life as a non-smoker for the first time in forever – bring on the yoga pants!

33: go to new hope, pennsylvania (it’s just 20 minutes from my step mother’s house):nope – goofy because it’s right THERE! but no

34: watch more old movies:yep! saw breakfast at tiffany’s and an american in paris for the first time among others

35: go see live music at least 5 times:well made it to 3, but three awesome ones! robert cray, keb mo, bb king

36: attempt baking:not a lot, but had a couple successes

37: twitter? I just don’t know:I do know and now tweet all the time

38: get a better office chair:done and loving it – it massages AND warms my back – ahhhhh

39: order new canvases for the studio:canvases, float wraps, metallic prints – all waiting to be hung during next month’s studio reinvention

40: try waxing a photograph:no but still REALLY want to

41: shoot more film:absolutely – never really stopped

42: get an instant camera of some kind:done – got one for christmas and am so excited to use it! especially on all of our upcoming travels!

43: get some cute rainboots:cute? debatable (hard to find a cute anything as far as shoes when you wear a 13) but functional? absolutely!

44: take more walks:yep, especially since the big quit

45: go through my clothes and get rid of what I don’t wear – this goes for shoes too!done and done!

46: take the roof of my jeep off more this summer:no – only once. shear laziness is all there is to blame for that

47: read at least 15 of the “books I want to read” list:read 10 non-business books. that’s good right? and I listened to at least 20 while on the road

48: go to yoga class at least once a week:bahahahaha – oh if only I did – I was in the need of some serious zen this past year. but I will! there is an amazing instructor here in town and I feel like a total idiot for not taking better advantage of her classes

49: make smoothies for me & the hubs in the morning:did okay with that this summer, but now? it just seems so cold (lame excuse but true)